Abstract:
We conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a leading technology firm to study how highlighting flexibility and career advancement in job advertisements causally affects the applicant pool. Highlighting career advancement increases applications from men for entry-level positions. These applicants are more likely to have graduated from a leading university, fit the advertised position better, and are more often invited to a job interview. By contrast, highlighting flexibility increases applications from both women and men at the entry-level, but does not significantly affect applicant quality or fit. A complementary survey experiment among STEM students shows how job advertisements shape beliefs about the firm’s job characteristics and the work environment.
Bio:
https://sites.google.com/site/piapinger/home
